Sergio Marchi says when he asks students in his university course on politics how many of them are interested in a career in public life, he’s surprised if two or three of them raise a hand.

Marchi, who served as minister for international trade from 1997 to 1999 and later as ambassador to the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, told The Canadian Press he fears that more and more young people are giving politics a pass.

“You can’t have the current young generation be exempted from public life,” he said.

“Nothing wrong with old white men, but we can’t have our politicians be just white old men. We need the energy and the idealism of the youngsters.”

Marchi has written a new book called Pursuing a Public Life which recounts his own political journey and offers a road map for

See Full Page